Spread the love
Going by the detailed analysis and indices that included the theoretical and practical solution to the political marriage between the people of Bassa/Dekina that formed a federal constituency, occasioned by constitutional demarcation and the activities there in, it will be incomplete not to shed more light on this brotherly marriage built over the years to detonate any wrong impression that is capable of overheating the polity at this point of our political development.
It is on record decades ago before the creation of Bassa local government area by the then military administration, the areas operate as one entity with indivisible and indisoluble traits, hence we need to play down on some self centred essays emanating from a group that willingly frowned against the progress and development of Igala/Bassa land and Dekina federal constituency by extension.
According to the writer, there was a consensus and oral agreement that the political position should be based on rotational between the two zones, but for political exigency the theoretical aspect of it may not be susceptible to practice based on the prevailing political arrangement,nonetheless what is worth doing is worth doing well.
Between 1999-2007, we had a robust leadership at the lower chamber powered by an astute administrator, a renowned and revered technocrat, late Isaac Jimba who during his stint was more concerned about the Igala people because of his detrabalised, non-racist, polished and his ardent beliefs in public office as an avenue to promote progress, development and advancement of Igala/Bassa race.
Late Rt Hon Isaac Jimba was a sound mind, down to earth, accessible, accommodating, enduring and strongly believed in political collectivism that saw him brought the two formidable races into one fold for consecutive eight years,that traits was lacking and created a wider vacuum until the entrance of the current member, Rt Hon Benjamin Ikani Okolo (BIO), that altered the odds and anomaly as well as made frantic efforts to redress the fragile decisions of the previous occupants.
Though, the current member may not be conversant with such a workable and holy arrangement, but at the back or his mind and political adventure there is no thin line between this two races whatsoever, and that occasioned seamless social both to Dekina and Bassa local government was carried out on equal basis.
In fact, it was even in Bassa local government area that the current member Benjamin Ikani Okolo invested chunk of funds for constituency projects into reconstruction of a collapsed bridge in the local government, but was stopped by the powers that be in Kogi state at the expense of the entire federal constituency.
With all these distractions, denials and political persecution, Okolo never allowed any attempt to place the people of the area into playing the role of a second fiddle in terms of provision of social services like hospitals, clinics, electricity and pipe borne water captured equitably in his constituency projects in line with his ideals of bringing the area once again to national limelight.
The return of Benjamin Ikani Okolo will be the beginning of a long awaited seamless developmental templates for the people of Dekina federal constituency devoid of politics of originality and superiority against one another and gradually as the political awareness and need arises through mass orientation and stabilisation of the lingering differences, the game will play out naturally to return the representative to Bassa zone in no distant future.
This trend have culminated into mass appointment and reappointment of people from the two local government into the immediate administrative machinery of the lower house of representatives to garner advises and direction through equitable manners that will relive confidence of the people of the area unlike what was obtainable only during electioneering campaigns and elections.
This time around, a vote from Bassa will be devoid of needless acrimony, attract more dividends of democracy and pave way for accelerated development of the area and the entire Kogi East.
In Benjamin Ikani Okolo, the people of Bassa local government will form part and parcel of the new Kogi state due to debut in 2019, in the area of employment, appointment and engagement into juicy positions to bridge age-long and perceived gap of opportunities between the Igalas and Bassa in the federal constituency.
As a grassroots leader, who was once a council boss, BIO is conversant with the need and expectations of the people of the area, aside political appointments and elective positions and will work towards exploiting and exploring the lofty objectives that will transform to bumper human, political and economic development of the area.
All hands most however be on deck to nip in the bud efforts of political naysayers to arm twist the mindset of the people to support the aspirations and return of BIO to the green chamber in 2019 under the PDP.
– Abdulkarim Adehi
Ayangba
Spread the love
